INSIDE THE CUBS.

Wood out of blocks smoothly

MARYVALE, Ariz. — Kerry Wood made his spring debut Saturday against Milwaukee but had to depart before the first sausage race of the Cactus League season.

Wood and the guy in the Polish sausage outfit appeared to be in midseason form, encouraging news to Cubs fans and sausage lovers alike.

Wood relieved Alan Benes in the third inning of the Cubs' 6-3 loss and threw a scoreless inning one day after being scratched because of a chest cold. With Wood, Mark Prior and Matt Clement heading the rotation, the Cubs are relying on their pitching to carry them this year.

"It hasn't been that way in a while," Wood said. "With the young talent we have in Mark and [Francis] Beltran and [Juan] Cruz and [Carlos] Zambrano and all the guys we have down there [in the bullpen] ... pitching and defense win championships, and obviously we have some pitching here we can build around for years."

Wood said his curveball has been good all spring, but he's still seeking consistency with his slider.

"I'll probably just work on my slider and getting my changeup down," he said. "Today I was working on not passing out."

Chemistry lesson

Dusty Baker's Giants sometimes fought among themselves on their way to the 2002 World Series. Does that suggest clubhouse chemistry is overrated?

"We were together so long guys learned to separate themselves sometimes," Baker said. "You have to find a way to coexist at the workplace if you're going to get it done. Would I have preferred everybody get along? Definitely. How many teams have I been on where everybody did get along? Very few. But I've been on quite a few teams that won, or at least had winning records. It helps a lot.

"Hopefully this year and the ensuing years will be the most fun we've ever had. Everyone has a couple years in their life they look back and say, `Man, that sure was fun.' That's what you want this year to be."

Comeback road

Baker said he likes what he hears about Benes, who is fighting for a shot to make the team as a starter or long reliever.

"I like the comeback stories, the underdogs," he said. "I'm not going to mar my judgment because of that, but at the same time I'm going to give him an opportunity and the best situation to succeed."

Waiting game

The Cubs haven't imposed a deadline to sign last year's first-round draft pick, Bobby Brownlie, but they want him to be in camp when minor-leaguers report Monday.

The Cubs reportedly have offered the right-hander a signing bonus of about $2.25 million.

Cubs recap

SCORE: Brewers 6, Cubs 3.

SPRING RECORD: 1-1.

AT THE PLATE: Corey Patterson had an RBI double and Hee Seop Choi added a sacrifice fly in the two-run first before the Cubs' offense tailed off, garnering eight hits on the afternoon.

ON THE MOUND: Kerry Wood pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Mike Remlinger allowed four runs on four hits in an inning to take the loss. Starter Alan Benes gave up two runs in two innings with a pair of strikeouts and a walk.

IN THE FIELD: Midre Cummings committed a throwing error in right.

BAKER WATCH: Dusty Baker won his first argument when umpires took away a would-be home run by Brewers catcher Keith McDonald, ruling it a double after Baker insisted it bounced off the top of the right-field fence.